Improvement in liquid-coolers



B. F. SHAW.

Liquid-Coolers.

Patented July 13, 1875.

IF VEF EDY- Fifi A dis N-PETERS, FHQfO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASNKNGTON. n c.

f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN EsH W, OF oAMBRIDeE, MAss, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ED WARDKENDALL, AND GEORGE E. RoBERTs, OF sAME PLAoE.

IMPROVEMENT m Lloulo cooisus Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 165,430, dated July l3, 1875; application filed April 14,1875.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SHAW, of Cambridge, Middlesexcounty,Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Apparatus for CoolingLiquids, of which the following is a specification This inventionrelates to improvements in apparatus for cooling liquids, and speciallymeltedlard, tallow, 850.; and this invention consistsin an apparatus,substantially as hereinafter described, composed of a cylinder havin g acapacious upper part for the reception of the hot liquid, and adischarging-outlet, and provided in its interior with a series of tubeshaving cores, the latter so filling the tubes as to leave only annularspaces of small capacity.

- The melted liquid passes from the receptacle at the top of thecylinder through the annular passages left between the tubes and thecores, and by the action of a current of water circulating through thecylinder and about the tubes the liquid is cooled during its passagethrough the apparatus.

Figure l is a perspective view of this improved liquid-coolingapparatus. Fig. 2 is a top view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section through acylinder, provided with tubes and cores. Fig. etis an enlarged sectionof a tube and core. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is atop view of the cylinder, showing the tubes and cores.

A is the cylinder of the liquid-cooler, open at its upper end to receivea strainer, 11, and contracted at its lower end I) to facilitate thecomplete discharge of the liquid. Within the cylinder are heads 0 c, towhich are attached the upper and lower ends of the tubes 11, theconnection between the tubes and heads being steam and water tight.Cores e, preferably of wood, and provided with centering projections f,are placed or suspended within the tubes d,

. leaving annular spaces g of small capacity between each tube and core.In this instance of the invention the cores are suspended fromcross-bars h passing through eyes 6 projecting from the cores. Insteadof suspending thecores in this way the projections f might be formed asshown at j in dotted lines, Fig. 4, and the shoulders thereon would reston the tops of the tubes or on theheads c, and instead of attaching theprojections to the cores they might project from the tubes. The water orother cooling agent employed is led to the cylinder through a pipe, k,the quantity being regulated by an adjustable inlet or valve, 1, andafter circulating about the tubes, flows away through the pipe m. Theliquid to be cooled, is poured into the receptacle 0, Figs. 2 and 3,and, passing through the strainer having holes preferably smaller thanthe spaces in the tubes, it'flows into the tubes about the cores intothe portion 1) ofthe cylinder, and thence through the pipe it, providedwith an adjustable outlet or valve, 19. The cooling effect depends onthe quantity of water used and its temperature, and the time which theliquid to be cooled occupies in passingthrough the tubes. The flow ofwater is regulated by valve 1, and the flow of the lard or other liquidto be cooled by valvep. Usually, the lard will be run into thereceptacle 0, and then into the receiving-chamber or portion :10, untilit fills the tubes and the lower chamber 1), and remains in the cylinderabove the head supportingthe upper end of the tubes, the water in themeanwhile, say, at about 50 Fahrenheit, moving slowly through thecylinder, and then the valve 19 is partially opened to give it outlet,and by controlling the flow of the water and of the liquid to be cooled,the latter may be cooled much or little, as desired. The water maybeallowed to move about the tubes, and yet be eflective, at a rate whichwill not allow the Water at its discharge-outlet to rise to atemperature lower than about20 Fahrenheit below the temperature of thelard. In case the supply of lard, which it is preferred should becontinuous, exceeds the quantity delivered through the discharge-pipe,then such lard escapes through a pipe, 1', which may lead to a suitablevessel, or be returned by theaction of a pump or otherwise to thesupplyingsource. The lard may be supplied to the cylinder by a pump, orfrom a vessel situated above the cylinder, and in this last case avalve, operated by a float and lever, may be used to shut off the supplyof lard when the cylinder is sufficiently full. In case the lard orother liquid is cooled too rapidly, and the tubes become clogged, thesupply of liquid to be cooled will be stopped, so also the melts all thelard or other congealed material in the tubes.

After this the material or substance so melted is drawn off through thepipe 0, supplied with avalve, q. The pipen might be dispensed with, ifdesired, and the lard or other liquid be drawn through pipe 0. The coresmay be removed to clear them or the tubes.

In an apparatus substantially as described, having four hundred tubes.forty inches in length, I present to the action of the cooling mediumsufficient liquid to be cooled to equal a sheet of liquid aboutone-eighth of an inch in thickness, and spread over a surface threehundred square feet in area, and at the same time the duration ofcontact of the hot liquid with the cooling-surfaces is governed byregulating the-outflow of the liquid to be cooled,

while the intensity of the cooling influence is increased or modified byregulating the inflow of the cooling liquid.

It is therefore apparent that any desired degree of refrigeration notbelow the temperature of the cooling medium, and the point ofsolidification of the liquid to be cooled, can be attained in thisapparatus by the adjustment of the two valves. The melted liquid movesthrough the cylinder and tubes by gravity alone, and all mechanicalappliances for moving the melted liquid, such as have been heretoforeused, are dispensed with.

This apparatus may be employed to cool liquid glue, tallow, lard, beer,or any other hot liquid. The cylinder A may be of any dosired shape, butis preferably round.

I claim- 1. The combination of the cylinder or outer vessel of a coolingapparatus and strainer, with tubes, and cores within the tubes, formingannular passages of small capacity to operate in connection with theliquid to be cooled, and with the cooling medium, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the strainer, the cylinder or outer vessel A,vertical cylindrical tubes and removable cores, with a liquid-receivingchamber or portion, 90, and a chamber, b, for the reception of thecooled liquid, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the strainer, and

cylinder or outer vessel A, and tubes and cores for conducting themelted liquid, with a pipe and adjustable inlet or valve to regulate theflow of the cooling liquid, and an-adjustable outlet or valve, and pipeto regulate the flow of the liquid to be cooled,substantially asdescribed.

4.. The combination of a cylinder containing the cooling medium, andinternal tubes for the passage of the liquid to be cooled, with achamber for the reception of the liquid to be cooled, and provided withan outlet for the overflow of the liquid to be cooled, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination, with the strainer and the cylinder to contain thecooling medium, of internal tubes for the passage of the melted liquidto be cooled, pipe and valve to control the flow of the cooling medium,and a pipe and valve to control the admission of steam into thecylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. SHAW.

Witnesses G. W. GREGORY, S. B. KIDDER.

